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'Ruthless Force Against Civilians': India Condemns Pakistan's PoJK Crackdown
Sneha | July 31, 2026 8:41 PM CST

India on Friday strongly condemned Pakistan's crackdown on protesters in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), accusing Islamabad of using "ruthless force" against peaceful civilians and calling on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for alleged atrocities.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Pakistani establishment had unleashed violence against unarmed civilians, resulting in the deaths of more than 40 people and leaving many others seriously injured.

"The Pakistani establishment continues to unleash ruthless force against peaceful civilians in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. This crackdown has resulted in the tragic death of over 40 innocent people, and many more have been seriously injured," Jaiswal said.

He alleged that Pakistan's actions reflected "absolute disdain" for the people of PoJK and criticised remarks by Pakistan's Defence Minister, who reportedly described the protesting civilians as "enemies".

Jaiswal also referred to comments made by Pakistan's Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, claiming they amounted to an admission that militants once trained, funded and armed by Pakistan had now turned against the state.

"The so-called elections stand as a humiliating rejection of the Pakistani establishment facing a violent regime," he said, adding that residents had sought an independent international investigation into the killings.

"We urge the international community to scrutinise Pakistan's actions and hold it accountable for its atrocities," the MEA spokesperson added.

Protests Enter 51st Day

The statement came as protests across Pakistan-occupied Kashmir entered their 51st day, with demonstrators alleging continued firing by Pakistani Rangers and the Frontier Corps for the fourth consecutive day.

According to protest organisers, Pakistani forces opened fire at around 7 am on peaceful demonstrators gathered at Chinar Chowk in Rawalakot. The firing reportedly continued intermittently for nearly an hour, leaving six people dead on Thursday.

Despite the violence, protesters remained camped at Rawalakot's D-Chowk, where organisers claimed nearly 200,000 people had gathered, while another group continued its sit-in on nearby hills overlooking Chinar Chowk.

Demonstrator Chaudhry Aqeel alleged that Pakistani Rangers were carrying out targeted killings, claiming security personnel fired at anyone attempting to move beyond D-Chowk and even targeted people using mobile phone flashlights at night.

Fresh Demonstrations Across PoJK

Following reports that 42 people had been killed over the previous four days in Rawalakot and Mirpur, thousands of residents staged protests in several towns, including Nakyal, Khoi Ratta, Dadyal and Kotli, against the Pakistani military and administration.

In Kotli, protesters alleged that Pakistani Rangers dispersed a demonstration by women with aerial firing before security personnel entered nearby homes and assaulted residents. Later, demonstrators claimed Rangers opened direct fire, critically injuring eight people, and allegedly fired at an ambulance belonging to a private NGO that had arrived to assist the wounded.

Election Boycott Call

The Awami Action Committee also announced that it would not allow the second phase of the PoJK elections, scheduled for August 2, to take place.

Raja Abrar-ul-Haq Minhas, whose brother was among those killed during the protests, made the announcement during the funeral, warning candidates from pro-Pakistan political parties against participating.

Meanwhile, protest organiser Sardar Aman Khan appealed to political and religious leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to speak out against the alleged crackdown. He said demonstrators would continue their march towards Muzaffarabad despite the ongoing violence.

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